Time for a new blog…

Mijn laatste blog is alweer van 2 weken en 2 dagen voor vertrek en inmiddels zijn we 4 dagen geleden vertrokken.. Ik zal even per dag een verslag schrijven, anders worden ze zo lang. De laatste weken in Nederland waren heel bijzonder. Echt alleen al voor dit gevoel zou ik het iedereen aaraden om weg te gaan.. Al zeg je het gewoon en duik je onder bij de buren..

My last blog is already from 2 weeks and 2 days before leaving and I'm already in Vancouver of the 5 day.. I will write for every day, otherwise it will be a very long story. The last weeks in the Netherlands were really special. Really only this feeling I would recommend it to everybody! Just say you are leaving and then hide with your neighbors.

Eerst een paar dagen heerlijk gerelaxed bij mijn lieve tante en nichtjes.. Weinig gedaan en heerlijk ontspannen. Toen kwam mijn kleine afscheidsfeestje 22 september.. Wat is dat een bijzondere avond geweest. Het is zo bijzonder om te zien hoe veel mensen betrokken bij je zijn, en daar die avond speciaal voor mij waren (en voor de overheerlijke zelfgemaakte hapjes natuurlijk...dank je wel mijn liefste mama, papa en zus!!)En toen waren er nog een hele hoop niet.. Dat heeft me echt laten nadenken en geeft een heel bijzonder gevoel.

First I chilled a few days with my sweet aunt and nieces in Germany! Did really almost nothing and just relaxed. Then my little farewellparty at the 22th of September.. What a special night!! It was so special to see how many people are caring about you and just coming only for you (and the very nice home made snacks of course...Thank you my sweet daddy, mommy and sister!) And then, there were still a lot of people not present.. It really made me think about it and gave me a really special feeling..

De laatste week is echt heel apart en moeilijk geweest.. Qua emoties leek ik wel op een zwangere vrouw! 's Ochtends kon ik me klote voelen met de gedachten: wat doe ik mezelf aan??? En 's middags kon ik blij rondspringen zo enthousiast over het avontuur wat komen ging...

And then the last week.. It was strange and really hard.. My emotions were like from a pregnant woman! In the morning I felt like crap with the thought: Why am I doing this to my self??? And then in the afternoon I could jump around happy about the adventure..

Toen was het zover: maandag 1 oktober, de dag van vertrek! Mijn god, waarom deed ik mezelf dit ook al weer aan???? Ik laat allemaal super lieve en geweldige mensen achter en ik ga naar een land, waar ik nog nooit ben geweest en niemand ken... Ben ik wel goed bij mijn hoofd????? Ik moet je zeggen, 10 uur in een vliegtuig en niks kunnen doen dan slapen, tv kijken en lezen werkt ook niet heel bevorderlijk voor de gemoedstoestand..

Then the due date arrived... Monday the first of Octobre, the day of leaving! My god, why am I doing this to myself?? I'm leaving such lovely and great people behind and go to a land I have never been before and know nobody.. Did I go crazy??? I have to tell you, sitting in a airplan for 10 hours and the only things you can do are: sleeping, watching tv and reading, doesn't really help for the mood...

En toen was het zover, 14:40 local time, we zijn geland in Vancouver! Spannend! Nu proberen uit te voeren wat ik 10 x gelezen heb in de handleiding.. Door paspoortcontrole, naar immigratiedienst voor werkvisum, opzoek naar language limousine die me naar mn gastgezin brengt.. Zo gezegd, zo gedaan. Wel tijdje moeten wachten op de immigratiedienst maar had snel mn papiertje binnen en kon door. Ik kwam zo 5 uur aan bij mijn gastgezin, en wat een fijn en warm ontvangst! Heb hier mijn eigen kamertje en alle voorzieningen zijn beschikbaar. Ik ben niet hun eigen gast, waardoor het alleen maar gezelliger en leuker wordt. Er is nog een duits meisje en koreans jongen die hier beide studeren. Toen was het inmiddels etenstijd en hebben we gezellig kunnen kennismaken, echt super fijn! Om 9 uur riep mijn bed.. Ik was al 24 uur wakker dus ik vond het prima :).

And then, 14:40 local time, we are landed in Vancouver!!! Really exciting!! Now I had to try to do everything I read 10 times in the manual.. Though the passport control, to immigration service for my work visa, searching for the Language Limousine who were bringing me to my home stay... And I did it all! I had to wait for a while at the migration service but I received my paper quit. I arrived like 5 pm at my home stay and what a lovely and warm welcome! I have my own little room with all services available. I'm not their only guest, what makes it only more fun and cozier.There is a German girl and a Korean guy, both for study in Vancouver. Then it was time to eat and we had the chance to meet each other, really lovely! Then at 9 pm, my bed was calling... I was only awake for 24 hours, so it was nice to go to sleep!

2 weeks and 2 days before due date....

So... It is rainy, cold, windy and my first afternoon at home since the start of my ‘workless' life... A good time to make my first log entry :).

The past 2/3 weeks were hectic but very nice! My last week at the office was really strange.. Every day, started with hating the thought that Friday was coming closer and closer.. Friday, the last ‘I have to drive to Breda' day, the last ‘Lunch date with Theo' day, the last ‘Good day AB InBev with Pascaline' day, the last ‘Don't listen to me, cause I only talk shit' day.... HELP!

But.... IT WAS THE BEST FRIDAY EVER! It started when I arrived.. Everything was decorated! Like they honestly didn't like that I was leaving ABI... ;)

Every time I went to the lady's room, another present appeared..! But I have to say, if you go on purpose, in an effort to receive more presents, this magical trick doesn't work.... I wonder why... ;)

In the morning I spoiled my dear colleagues with Australian Carrot cake (which is an obious choice when you are traveling to Canada...) The whole day I received sweet calls, emails, messages and presents... Meanwhile I was trying to empty my desk.. But it began to look more and more like a dump!

And then it was 4:30.... It was official: I AM UNEMPLOYED! We had a little Friday afternoon drink and I went out for dinner with two very sweet and special colleagues :).

And then... What shall I do??? Well that was NO problem at all... First a ricochet tournament at our local gym with a little afterparty and then.... The best and greatest week Tiel has to offer every the year, FRUITCORSO (‘fruit parade')!!!!

For the foreigners.... Yes we, a couple of idiots, like to build a float and stick fruit on it and really enjoy it... So my first unemployed week I was at the gym or at the construction site sniffing bisonkit. For the ‘not-building-a-parade-float' people among us, Friday is the last day of building and there is always a lot of work to be done.. Every year it is a battle to make sure your float is finished on time. This year our float was ready at 5 o'clock in the morning... Saturday morning to be precise ?. And it was beautiful! Then quickly going home to sleep a few hours and then onwards to the parade to see our beautiful and amazing float!! (and the other floats as well.. ;) ).

The day ended at Appelpop (a big music festival) where I met my sweet girlfriend :) and finished the weekend with a big ‘float builders'party! (which is like a grand gathering of ‘Bob the builder's')

And then Monday... The second week off.. What shall I do?? Well maybe you have 2 farewell parties and you want to give a like present which you have to prepare.... Yeah! Crap! Hurry up!

Tuesday my men (read: account managers, who I worked with) organised a farewell drink for their ladies. They had 2 ladies and both are leaving. The other lady is moving to another position in the company and I'm moving a little further away.. It was a successful evening with a nice drink and a bite :). Wednesday I went to Amsterdam to lunch with another very sweet colleague and Thursday the farewell drink with my direct colleagues :).

At the end of all the drinks and parties I am really spoiled!!! A little spoiled brat... Very sweet presents, cards, messages, emails and the most special thing: a little farewell book from my team. Each colleague made a little card with special wishes to me! Super sweet and very special!

And now.... It is really getting closer.... Next week I'm heading to Germany for a few days to see my sweet aunt and nieces and then I will be spending my last week in the Netherlands.....